In the prior art, hydrogen peroxide is a desirable component of cleaning preparations. However, it is also an unstable compound, and its use in a cleaning composition requires fine tuning in order that the composition remain stable over time, and that hydrogen peroxide does not break down.
One such composition is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,399 to Melikyan et al. This patent discloses a composition combining a terpene such as D-limonene and hydrogen peroxide and a number of surfactants. The aim of this patent is to provide a composition that has high stability over long periods of time. This aim is accomplished by using a terpene, an anti-oxidant, two anionic surfactants, a nonionic surfactant, hydrogen peroxide, and Deionized water. One of the anionic surfactants acts as an emulsifier, and a cleaning surfactant, whereas the other anionic surfactant acts as a wetting agent, surface tension reducer, and hydrotrope.
While the composition of the Melikyan et al. patent is described as having stability, it suffers from a high loading of surfactants. The loadings tend to leave a sticky residue on the material being treated and this stickiness contributes to resoiling of the treated area.
Thus, a need exists to provide improved hydrogen peroxide-containing cleaning compositions which are both stable over long periods of time, and do not cause rapid resoiling of the areas treated with the composition.
The present invention responds to this need by the discovery of a cleaning composition that is both stable and is more resistant to resoiling by virtue of a lower surfactant loading.